Mobile phones & tablets thread

[CaptainRaiden]

That sucks about the screen. A couple of my friends have needed replacement screens for their iPhones and its usually a flat cost of around 70 quid. Cheaper than in Romania.

That's near about what I got quoted for the S3 replacement screen in the UK and India. I don't get why it's double that in Romania. When my wife asked the guy at the repair center why it is so much more expensive there, he simply said, "Well, because this is how it is here." Highly confusing. I'm guessing it's just a simple "making an extra 100 euros" exercise at this point.

Still a lot of money and mistakes happen, but that's no reason for franchises to try and rip you off with inflated prices. Would it be worth you losing the phone Captain?

The phone works great so far, even with the cracks. I'm able to play games, read everything fine. All the touch screen functions work as good as before. I just don't want to pay double for a simple replacement for no apparent reason. Since I go down to India in December anyway, makes sense to get it repaired then.

[CaptainRaiden]

The British networks paid off the costs of establishing their infrastructure years ago and the running costs are peanuts, hence why they can charge so little money for phone minutes and texts. Its the one thing where we're better off than other places, usually we get ripped off left right and centre.

The Romanian networks are probably still paying for the cost of establishing the networks and are merely passing some of the cost onto you.

It's not just that, but a lot of other stuff is more expensive here. I had a chat with two of my acquaintances who visited Romania, one British and one from Dubai (filthy rich), and they couldn't believe how expensive groceries were in supermarkets. In particular, the British guy said they find food much cheaper in British supermarkets.

The Google Nexus 7 is more than $100 more expensive here than anywhere else. Like I said in my reply to henners above, I'm being asked 100 euros more for the same Galaxy S3 screen and digitizer replacement in Bucharest compared to Helsinki, Cardiff and Mumbai.

I'm guessing it's some mystery tax levied by the hated government or just because their economy is pants ATM.

I wouldn't complain too much with that price plan, I'm looking at paying £20 a month for a similar deal to yours, sim only.

Yep, my deal is quite similar. I forgot to add above that it was 12 euros for 1 GB extra, so I pay a total of 22 euros monthly, which is more than good enough, no complaints.

[CaptainRaiden]

I don't know about other countries but here you have much better deals on prepay. For 9 euros you get 3000, 3000, 150, 150 and 500 (same order as above) for instance.

Naah, I am an Indian, and we've got better prepaid plans, while Romania has much better postpaid plans (even if so expensive).

You can't find flagship smartphones even with half off offers with postpaid in India. Most of the time you have to pay the full amount. I guess it's because of too much population to keep track of, lack of better mobile infrastructure, lack of a unique ID code, and more people willing to scam the companies and run away.

Besides if they started providing smartphones at 0 initial cost and a $40 monthly rental, the supply would be ridiculously behind the demand.

This is why telecom companies in India concentrate on providing better prepaid business, and you get many more options and bang for your buck than postpaid.

[ioan]

It's not just that, but a lot of other stuff is more expensive here. I had a chat with two of my acquaintances who visited Romania, one British and one from Dubai (filthy rich), and they couldn't believe how expensive groceries were in supermarkets. In particular, the British guy said they find food much cheaper in British supermarkets.

The Google Nexus 7 is more than $100 more expensive here than anywhere else. Like I said in my reply to henners above, I'm being asked 100 euros more for the same Galaxy S3 screen and digitizer replacement in Bucharest compared to Helsinki, Cardiff and Mumbai.

I'm guessing it's some mystery tax levied by the hated government or just because their economy is pants ATM.



Yep, my deal is quite similar. I forgot to add above that it was 12 euros for 1 GB extra, so I pay a total of 22 euros monthly, which is more than good enough, no complaints.

Yep, the problem in Romania is that people simply pay whatever they are asked for, even though they are being paid peanuts salaries.
If you want cheap and good quality groceries in Romania then avoid the supermarkets and go to the market where the peasants sell their crops.

[ioan]

As far as phone plans I have found Austria one of the best places up to now, for 35 Euro/month I get 1000 minutes to call in all European countries as well as 3 GBs High Speed data (after the 3GB are reached the download/upload speed will be limited to a slower rate, but will still work for no additional costs) and I get a new smartphone of my choice every 2 years, for free. I can easily live with this.

[Valve Bounce]

Yep, the problem in Romania is that people simply pay whatever they are asked for, even though they are being paid peanuts salaries.
If you want cheap and good quality groceries in Romania then avoid the supermarkets and go to the market where the peasants sell their crops.

Any chance of picking up a mobile phone or tablet at a good price at these markets? Maybe one that has been slightly used?

[CaptainRaiden]

As far as phone plans I have found Austria one of the best places up to now, for 35 Euro/month I get 1000 minutes to call in all European countries as well as 3 GBs High Speed data (after the 3GB are reached the download/upload speed will be limited to a slower rate, but will still work for no additional costs) and I get a new smartphone of my choice every 2 years, for free. I can easily live with this.

That's an amazing deal!

[CaptainRaiden]

If you want cheap and good quality groceries in Romania then avoid the supermarkets and go to the market where the peasants sell their crops.

That's good for fruits and vegetables, but a lot of other daily stuff that we need, found mostly only in supermarkets, is grossly overpriced. I think that's because a lot of stuff isn't manufactured here, but instead imported, and that results in higher prices.

For example, I found a Kiwi shoe shiner in a Romanian supermarket the other day stamped with "Made in India", and about 4 times the price of what you can get it in India for.

[gadjo_dilo]

That's good for fruits and vegetables, but a lot of other daily stuff that we need, found mostly only in supermarkets, is grossly overpriced. I think that's because a lot of stuff isn't manufactured here, but instead imported, and that results in higher prices.

Ironically, even at the "peasant market" ( where I suppose you've already noticed the ones who sell aren't the producers but guys who buy cheap and increase the price about a few times ) in most of the cases products aren't exactly romanian but displayed as romanian.
Then all jonathan apples are presented as coming from Voinesti -which is practically impossible, all nuts are from Vrancea, all potatoes are from Covasna, etc.
If you want cheaper products forget supermarkets and go to hypermarkets, the difference is considerable.

For example, I found a Kiwi shoe shiner in a Romanian supermarket the other day stamped with "Made in India", and about 4 times the price of what you can get it in India for.

Import taxes + transport costs+ a VAT of 24%+ a consistent profit for retailer+etc. etc.etc.?

Btw, I can't understand a thing. There are some indian soaps on tv and some indian housekeepers are presented at the market ( ironically they always complain about the high prices ) buying some absurd quantities of vegetables. For ex they ask for 1/4 kilo of cauliflower, 1/2 kilo of eggplants, 1/4 kilo of tomatoes - despite cooking for at least 5 persons. And then I come back to our market where no "peasant" will admit to sell less than 1 kilo. Can't really understand what you eat....Don't think that I've ever seen a cauliflower of 1/4 kg.....


As for the difference of 100 euros, I suppose you know that romanians have a crazy appetite for gadgets of all kind. Most of them buy products without even knowing to use their all functions just because they want to look trendy.
Who cares if you're torn in the a*s and buried in debts if you have the latest model of phone/tablet?

[CaptainRaiden]

Import taxes + transport costs+ a VAT of 24%+ a consistent profit for retailer+etc. etc.etc.?

Well, of course. I guess it would help if Romania could mass produce a lot of daily use products themselves. Would help offset the cost of importing and make it easier for their citizens.

Btw, I can't understand a thing. There are some indian soaps on tv and some indian housekeepers are presented at the market ( ironically they always complain about the high prices ) buying some absurd quantities of vegetables. For ex they ask for 1/4 kilo of cauliflower, 1/2 kilo of eggplants, 1/4 kilo of tomatoes - despite cooking for at least 5 persons. And then I come back to our market where no "peasant" will admit to sell less than 1 kilo. Can't really understand what you eat....Don't think that I've ever seen a cauliflower of 1/4 kg.....

You're making the mistake of guessing buying and eating habits of a country of 1.2 billion by their soap operas all pretty much produced in one state.

Nobody buys like that, at least I remember my mother didn't.

As for the difference of 100 euros, I suppose you know that romanians have a crazy appetite for gadgets of all kind. Most of them buy products without even knowing to use their all functions just because they want to look trendy.
Who cares if you're torn in the a*s and buried in debts if you have the latest model of phone/tablet?

I guess you're not aware of the context I mentioned those 100 euros in above. In short, my Galaxy S3 fell on the concrete and the front glass cracked. My wife called the authorized Samsung repair center in Bucharest, they quoted me 200 euros. I checked through my friends in Cardiff, UK and Helsinki, Finland for the exact same repair (front screen and digitizer replacement) from the authorized Samsung repair center, and were quoted 80 euros. I called up the authorized Samsung repair center in Mumbai, India, and was quoted 100 euros. What I don't understand is why are they asking me double price in Romania.